Power bars & other goodies

Okay, I have been a really BAD blogger. National Boards part 2 are coming up in 2 days (please say a prayer for me that I pass, it's okay I can wait... Go ahead...), so that is consuming most of my time and I guess I have put blogging on the back burner. I am enjoying a nice, somewhat relaxing time at home for Thanksgiving break. I am still studying but I don't have to juggle clinic with it so I can blog once again.

A few weeks ago I blogged about a road trip with Erin & Megan, well Julianne & Derrick were going in that direction too, so I put together a big goodie bag for all of us to take on the journey. I made rice crispy treats with dark chocolate M&Ms and some with peanut butter M&Ms, spicy pretzels and power bars (this is a new recipe from a cookbook I got for my birthday).

Power Bars from Famous Name Brand Baking

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter or margarine
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats, uncooked
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling, I used tart cherries without any sugar syrup but just water.
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

• Beat butter and brown sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Combine flour, oats and baking soda. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; mix on low speed until crumbly.
• Spread two-thirds of oat mixture into bottom of ungreased 13×9×2-inch baking pan. Press down to form crust. Process cherry filling in food processor or blender until smooth. Pour into medium saucepan. Combine granulated sugar and cornstarch; stir into cherry filling. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until mixture is thick and bubbly. Stir in almond extract. Pour cherry mixture over oat layer; spread evenly. Top with remaining oat mixture. I used 2 cans of 14.5-oz cherry filing so I did 2 layers.
• Bake in preheated 325°F oven 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool before cutting. Yummy little power bars in muffin cups to make it easier to eat
  

Happy Birthday Laura!

I want to wish a very happy birthday to one of my best(est) friends, Laura. She is a fellow blogger and she also has an up and coming custom stationary business. I hope she has a wonderful birthday with her family. It is so nice of them to all get together and make a huge dinner for her on her birthday :)

Happy birthday Laura. Welcome to your last year of your twenties... We are going to make it the best year of our twenties yet! Love you!

Happy Birthday Lydia Grace!

It was 1 year ago today that Lydia Grace blessed us with her presence in the world. I am blessed to have so many nieces and a nephew, not by blood, but by heart. It has been a joy to see her grow up and start to play with all the other little ones around. I wish I could be there for her party today but yet again I am stuck in Memphis. I can't wait to see pictures of her diving into her cake! I love you Lydia!

1 day old - of course she had a K-State hate on in the hospital!

Holding Lydia for the first time

I just love these pictures of her in a field of sunflowers. Her expressions are too cute!

This is a video of Lydia just a day old. You can here her "coo" if you listen real close.

Road Trip!

Over the weekend, thanks to some good ol' EtOH, I was able to persuade (or make appealing) the idea of driving almost 5 hours to see O.A.R. live in Fayetteville, AR and then to drive back that very night. Megan has seen them a couple times and loved them and for my dear friend Erin she had never gotten to see them in Memphis or anywhere else, so this was a chance she did not want to pass up. I still can't believe it happened as easy as it did. Erin, Megan & I left Memphis at about 2:30 and arrived in F-ville about 7:30. After some bumps in the road we made it.

This is me an Erin waiting for Megan Megan rolling up to pick us up
Action shot!
Kids, don't try this at home, putting on eyeliner while in a moving vehicle
Who knows how many cups of coffee this is for Megan
It was a long drive but all worth it once Marc and the boys came out

Enjoying the tantalizing sounds of O.A.R.
I only wish everyone could experience O.A.R., they are very entertaining not to mention amazing
The best part was I got to surprise Julianne & Megan in the ladies bathroom. They didn't have a clue I was coming. The looks on their faces was priceless!Erin, Megan & MeIn the parking lot at University of Arkansas getting ready to make the 5 hour trek back home. It was a great spontaneous trip girls. Thank you so much for going and being completely sleep deprived today... Seriously 2 hours is just not enough.The last song before the encore was Joe Cocker's song "With a little help from my friend" sang with the opening band Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights. Check it out!

Wine pairings

Here is the wine list with the food pairing we has this weekend with the tasting notes. For some of you that have never been to a wine tasting you start off with lighter white wines and proceed to the more complex red wines. I have included my own notes of Like it (glad I tried it once), Live it (definitely a wine I will get in the future), and Love it (I want more right now!).


Select Cuvee Brut from Piper Sonoma - Sparkling wine

• Tasting notes - Crisp and bright with light aromas yeast, toast, cherry and vanilla; palate creamy texture, soft mousse, dried citrus peel and red cheery
• Food pairing - baked brie
• Like it - too dry for my taste

2005 Chenin Blanc-Viognier from Pine Ridge - White wine

• Tasting notes - Honeysuckle, jasime and peaches; pears, grapefruit peel and bright acidity
• Food pairing - Roasted Chicken
• Live it - great price point and very smooth flavor

2005 Sauvignon Blanc from Rodney Strong - White wine

• Tasting notes - candied grapefruit peel, spring flowers and tangerine peel, ripe lemon, touch minerality
• Food pairing - cherry tomatoes, calamata olives
• Love it - again great price and very fruity and crisp on the palate

2004 Blend of Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Muscat, Gewurztraminer & Pinot Gris from Pierre Sparr "One" - White wine

• Tasting notes - Spice, spring flowers, peaches, lemons
• Food pairing - baked apples
• Like it - Not a huge fan of the spice but good for guests who like a sweeter wine

2007 Pinot Noir from Kris - Red wine

• Tasting notes - Blackberries, candied fruits, black cherry, rasberry, spice, caramel, cloves, firm tannins
• Food pairing - Stuffed mushrooms
• Live it - Even better price point, a bit of an after taste but tasted like a cherry jolly rancher

2001 Merlot from Artesa - Red wine

• Tasting notes - Ripe sweet raspberries, plums, fruitcake and spice with chocolate
• Food pairing - Chedder cheese
• Love it - bold fruity flavor

2004 Chianti Superiore from Castello de Monastero - Red wine

• Tasting notes - Cranberry, violet, dried rosemary and vanilla; red cranberry and cinnamon
• Food pairing - Italian sausage pizza
• Like it - fairly dry and very warm wine, it would warm you up on a cold winter day

Cabernet Sauvignon from Viña Casa Silva Reserva - Red wine

• Tasting notes - Dark berry fruit, tobacco, earth, star anise, licorice, medium bodied weight and medium grained tannins
• Food pairing - our pairing for this was strawberry cupcakes with chocolate frosting in ice cream cones ;)
• Love it - big bold flavors that

Wine and cheese pairing make for a great birthday!

Last Saturday Julianne hosted a Wine tasting party for my birthday. It was never my intention for her to host the entire thing but that is how she wanted it and I was left just hanging out enjoying it all. Julianne did an incredible job on organizing it all and having the perfect food pairing with each wine. It seemed the party went on effortlessly, even though I know she was stressed, but to the party guests it looked like she was calm, cool and collected at all times. I will post the wine & food pairing later this week. But for now here are some pictures from the night.

This is me and Jules

Kevin, Kelsey, Jill & Me

Me, Megan McDonald-Moll & KarenMore pics of Kelsey, Jill & MeMegan & DerrickJoe, Me & my new friend EddySurrounded by ODs with names that start with "J" - Jake, John, me & JohnKendra, Megan & Me

My roomies & great hosts - Derrick & Jules

Me & Karen - I miss sitting beside this girl in class but do NOT miss class!Of course the party moved outside and gathered around the fire pit.

Me & Kendra

I have no idea what I am doing, probably telling some story, but I thought it was a funny picture and looks like I am having a really good time

Kate & Dan

Dan & Kendra enjoying s'mores

Me & John chilling (literally, it was cold) by the fireAfter the outdoor activity I came back inside to find a gift from Megan & Julianne for a pedicure at the NailBar, where I get a pedicure and 2 drinks! How great is that??

Happy Birthday Audra!

Today is Audra's birthday, one of my best(est) friends. She is like a sister to me. We have known each other for well over a decade, almost 2. I am so fortunate to have her in my life. She is a wonderful mom to her baby girl, Lydia, and from what I see a wonderful wife as well :) I always look forward to going home and spending time with her. She always listens, has great advice and can cook! Happy birthday girl. Miss you. I love you!

Disclaimer... This is the only good quality picture of Audra I could find (most were too far away and were grainy when I cropped them) and since we took a million at our h.s. reunion together I had plenty to pick from :)

Happy Birthday Tami!

Today is my double cousin Tami's birthday. I so wish I could have had a drink with her and not for her, but such is life. As most of you know I spent the entire summer with her and her family and since leaving in August I really miss her. I guess it is good that I was only out there for a short time b/c we sure do like to play, aka spend money, together :)

I hope that you have one of the happiest birthdays ever. I wish only the best for you this year and every year. I love you Tami!